Philippikos of Byzantium

Philippikos of Byzantium (670-20 January 714) was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 711 to 713, succeeding Justinian II of Byzantium and preceding Anastasius II of Byzantium.

Biography
Philippikos Bardanes was born in 670 to the House of Vardan, a family of Armenians. He was a patrician of the Byzantine Empire, and he incited the people of Cherson and the Khazars to help him gain the throne of Byzantium from Emperor Justinian II of Byzantium. The rebels seized Constantinople and Philippikos took power, but his short reign was filled with disasters. Khan Tervel of Bulgaria plundered up to Constantinople and Caliph al-Walid I invaded Asia Minor. In 713 the forces of the Theme of Opsikion rebelled and blinded Philippikos and blinded him in the Hippodrome, and Anastasius II of Byzantium took power.